The Face In The Mirror
by macisgate
Summary: Cassie struggles after a mission gone wrong. Hope you enjoy! Chapter 3 up! Story complete!
1. Chapter 1

The Face in the Mirror

Season: anytime after season 1.

Spoilers: none that I know of.

Summary: Cassie struggles with a mission gone wrong.

Disclaimer: I don't own She Spies. Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth had no affect. MGM won't let me have them.

Hey everyone! Yes, I know, you're wondering what's going on. 'Why does this story fall under She Spies and not Stargate?' you may be asking yourself. Don't worry! I have not abandoned Stargate. I've just really wanted to write for She Spies for a while, and they have finally answered my emails to add it as a category.

Second, I'd just like to give a shout out to any other She Spies fans out there who have come across this story. I hope you like it. I've been thinking for a while that we should have this category on the site, so here we are! Enjoy! And please do feedback. I'd love to hear what you think!

macisgate

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"Ah, ladies, welcome back," Quentin Cross looked up from the folder in his hands as Cassie, Shane, and DD walked into She Spies headquarters. "I take it your mission was a success?"

"Piece of cake."

"A cinch."

"An ace in the hole."

"We kicked their butts, Mr. Cross."

"That's what I like to hear. I take it Mr. Jacobs has been taken into custody."

He stared expectantly at them as his question was met with silence. The women shuffled their feet and looked at each other as if daring the others to make them be the one to tell him.

"Ladies?"

"Mr. Cross, I've got that surveillance footage you asked for," Duncan approached.

"Thank you, Duncan. Ladies, as you were saying?"

"Duncan, did you do something different with your hair," DD questioned with sudden interest.

Duncan smiled and ran a hand self-consciously over his head.

"A quarter of an inch off the sides. Do you like it?"

"Ladies?"

"Oh yeah. It really works for you."

"Ladies!"

"Whoa, Cassie, you're bleeding!" Duncan exclaimed, reaching for the arm Cassie was holding against her stomach. DD and Shane started fussing as well.

"I thought you said it wasn't that bad."

"You need to get this looked at."

Cassie tried to shake them off, looking uncomfortable at the attention.

"Would someone please explain to me what is going on?!"

They immediately stilled. Shane cleared her throat and looked at her friends but finally decided to be the brave one.

"Um, it just so happens that Jacobs is dead."

Mr. Cross stared hard at them.

"How?"

"Well, Shane and I were searching his house while Cassie kept watch outside," DD stepped in. "He arrived home, and Cassie tried to grab him, but he ran into the woods behind his house."

"And then what happened?"

"I chased him for about four miles," Cassie entered her point of view not looking at any of them. "Then he tripped over the edge of a cliff. I tried to pull him up, but he fell anyway."

"So I take it he won't be bothering us anymore?"

"No," she shook her head.

"Very well, you're free to go. And, Miss McBane, make sure you have that arm looked at."

"Will do," she said, heading for the elevator.

"Cassie."

She turned back to look at him.

"You know there was nothing you could have done differently."

"I know," she gave him a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and turned back to the elevator.

Duncan and Mr. Cross watched as Shane and DD put their arms around Cassie's shoulders and got into the elevator. Mr. Cross then turned back to the information Duncan had handed him.

"Cassie didn't look so good," Duncan said, still looking towards the elevator.

"They've all had a long day. I'm sure she'll be fine," he said without looking up.

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Well, there's part 1. I know it's short, but I needed to get warmed up a little, right? Please let me know what you think. I will be updating very soon. Lots of love!

macisgate


	2. Chapter 2

The Face In The Mirror – Chapter 2

Hello! Here is the second chapter finally! Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

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"Cassie, are you sure you're okay?" DD questioned her friend as they entered the beach house.

"Look, guys, I told you, I'm fine."

Shane crossed her arms and looked at her pointedly. "You don't look all that fine to me."

"Well, I am."

Cassie took off her jacket, careful of her recently bandaged arm, and made her way over to the kitchen for some coffee.

DD and Shane shared doubtful looks.

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She allowed the water to run over her trembling hands for a couple minutes before she splashed some on her face. Taking a hand towel to wipe away the drops,Cassie finally allowed herself to look at her reflection.

A bit pale, yes, but very much the same.

_How can I still look the same? Everything feels so different._

Unable to look anymore, Cassie entered her bedroom. She sat on her bed. The only light shining in the room came from the lamp on her bedside table as the night's events began playing through her mind.

_Heavy breathing matched with pounding feet and breaking branches as she ran. She was gaining on him, and he knew it. He kept glancing back at her, his eyes set with determination. He would not let her catch him._

_And then he slipped. Cassie was just about to him as he struggled to his feet and limped out of her reach._

"_Just stop running!" she shouted to him. "We can help you!"_

_He didn't answer, just kept on going. But he was getting tired. It wouldn't be much longer before she had him._

_Then he fell again._

'_Finally,' she thought. 'Now we can all just go home!'_

_But as she reached him, she realized something was wrong. He was hanging over a ridge._

_Cassie scrambled to her knees in front of him. His over confident eyes were now filled with panic._

"_Give me your hand! Let me help you."_

"_I can't move."_

"_Yes you can. All you have to do is give me your hand, and I will pull you up. I promise."_

_After a moment's hesitation, he reached a shaking hand out to her. She grasped his arm, and held him tight. But then what little footing he had broke away, and Cassie came crashing against the ground, her arm digging painfully into the rock._

_Jacobs was now taking gasping breaths, tears, if not sweat, were rolling down his face. This was neither the time nor the place for a gruff exterior._

"_Pull me up!"_

"_I'm trying! I'm trying!"_

"_Please help me! I'm gonna fall!"_

"_No you're not!"_

_But he did. She hadn't been able to save him, and he had died. He had depended on her, criminal though he was, but, despite her promises, she couldn't help him._

Cassie woke up gasping for breath as she felt his grasp slip from hers. She stared in confusion at her surroundings until she remembered where she was. Running shaking hands through her hair, she jumped off her bed. She had to get out.

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Quentin Cross looked at himself in the mirror beside his door. Dusting off invisible lint and fixing an imperfection in his tie that only he could see, he was ready for the day. He grabbed his keys and left his apartment, turning back to lock the door.

"So this is how come you're always at the office before me."

Despite his years of experience, Quentin couldn't keep the surprise off his face as he looked down to see a rumpled looking Cassie sitting with her back against the wall near his door, her knees drawn to her chest, two cups of coffee in her hands. She held one out to him.

"I think it's cold by now, but at this time of the morning, I doubt it matters."

He took in the dark circles under her eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," she grunted as she rose off the floor.

"Okay then. Why are you here?"

"Can't a girl just drop by?" she gave him a slight smile. The best she could muster at the moment while running her hand through her hair for the umpteenth time.

"Cassie."

"I, uh, I guess I'm just not really sure why I'm here. I woke up about 4:00 and couldn't get back to sleep. Before I knew it... Uh, look, I'll just go. I'm sorry."

Of course it was a mistake to come. What had she been thinking? She turned to leave.

"Cassie, wait."

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Okay, that looks incredibly shorter than when I had it written in my notebook... Oh well! Hopefully another chapter will be coming your way soon!

Lots of love!

macisgate


	3. Chapter 3

The Face In The Mirror – Chapter 3

Woohoo! Third chapter! Thanks so much for reading and for all your reviews! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. This story turned out to be a bit shorter than I thought, but this just seemed the right way to end it. Hope you enjoyed!

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"So, do you come to this place often?"

"Every day."

Cassie and Mr. Cross were now sitting in the corner of a quaint, downtown cafe that served about the best breakfast Cassie had ever eaten. The morning was crisp and beautiful, and they took their time to enjoy it.

"A man of habit, huh?" Cassie smiled at him, her smile quite a bit brighter now that she had a full stomach. "I don't blame you when they serve a breakfast like that. Beats Shane's scrambled eggs any day."

Mr. Cross smiled. "What about DD's cooking?"

"DD makes pancakes and uses cherries, whip cream, and chocolate sauce to make happy faces on them."

"Ah."

They sipped their coffee quietly, enjoying the atmosphere of the place for a time untilQuentin broke the silence. He put his coffee mug down and stood up, putting a few bills on the small table.

"Come on. Let's go for a walk."

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Cassie slipped off her shoes as they reached the sand, reveling in the feeling of the sand between her toes. Bending over, she rolled up the bottoms of her jeans a few inches.

They continued walking straight until they came to the edge of the water. Then they walked along the shoreline so Cassie could put her feet in the water. Mr. Cross stayed on the other side to keep dry.

They walked in silence for a time, Cassie gazing out over the distance as her feet sloshed through the water. Quentin could feel it splashing against his pant leg but stayed silent, his hands in his pockets.

"Do you ever have those days where everything feels so perfect? Everything is so beautiful and quiet and subdued, all the people, all the noise, and you just wish you could stay in that moment forever because you don't think you could ever be that happy again?"

He looked over at her. "Yes, it's very beautiful," he agreed.

"Jacobs, when I was trying to pull him up and he looked so afraid... I mean, I know he was a seasoned criminal, but when you took all that away, and you got to the real person inside... All he wanted to do was live. He didn't care if he was stuck in a prison for the rest of his life; he just wanted to live, to see days like this. He just wanted a second chance."

Mr. Cross took his hand from his pocket and wrapped his warm fingers firmly through hers.

"Cassie, you did your best. There was nothing more you could have done."

"But I got one," she stopped walking and turned to face him, her hand still in his. "I got a second chance. I get to walk freely everyday. No prison cell, no jumpsuits, but I was just as guilty as he was. How come some of us get second chances, and others don't?" Her eyes were now watering to match her strong emotions.

"Cassie, he always had a chance. He could have left his criminal life behind at any time, but he chose not to. You're different because you were given a chance, and you took it. You've made your choice and proven yourself, which is more than I can say for Jacobs. But more than that, it was just his time, and nobody could have changed that."

"I've just never seen anyone die like that before."

"I know," he hugged her close to him, leaving formalities behind. "I know, and I'm so sorry."

They made quite a pair, Cassie with her casual, rumpled appearance, and he with his suit perfectly pressed and shoes shining. But any truly romantic observer beholding the two on the beach that morning would say they looked just right.

"Shane," DD called out from her seat by the window, her smile as big as it could get. "You've got to come see this!"

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The End!

Thanks so much for reading! But dear goodness, I can't believe how short this turned out to be. Oh well!

Best wishes and lots of love!

macisgate


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